Silo construction



May 13, 1953 P. RUT'n-:N

sILo CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 3, 1955 RM M o o TT ma, n won wn. N

May 13, 1958 P. RUTTEN 2,834,063

sILo CONSTRUCTION Filed May s, 1955 s sheets-sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

Arron/IEX Ps TE/e P0 rre/v May 13, 1958 P. RUTTEN SILO CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 3. 1955 N y www www E w.m R my Pw V. B

SIL() CONSTRUCTION Peter Rutten, Plainfield, Ill., assignor to Railoc Company, Inc., Plainfield, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application May 3, 1955, Serial No. 505,638-

10 Claims. (Cl. 2li-1.4)

My invention relates to improvements in silo construction.

My invention relates more particularly to improvements in the silo chute and door construction and the manner in which the silo tie rods are arranged and constructed to effect both desirable heights of door openings and effective silo reinforcement where needed.

The normal door opening of the door frame into the silo preferable in silo construction, is of such height that it normally extends beyond the distance between the silo tie rods which are spaced about the silo at frequent intervals from the bottom to the top of the same, the tie rods being for the purpose of reinforcing the construction whether the silo be built of concrete staves, intertting wooden blocks, or corrugated or sheet metal units.

In order to provide the reinforcing strength required and still permit door frame openings of a desired height, I have provided a construction wherein alternate tie rods, instead of completely encircling the silo, will be securely connected to strong vertical metal door frame embers. In addition, at other points I provide an interconnection or brace between the sides of the door members to effect an additional rigidity and alignment of the silo door frame.

I also provide in connection with this construction a convenient silo step or ladder arrangement, the steps being preferably intermediate of encircling silo tie rods and mounted in such a way that at any selected door the particular step may be swung down out of the way `so that the desirable door opening is obtained.

For a more comprehensive understanding of the construction involved and the manner in which the results to be obtained may be accomplished, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, uponvvhich- Fig. l is a front perspective view of a typical modern silo;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view o a portion of the silo at the door opening, Showing some lower chute sections removed, one door removed, astep swung to a suspended position to permit entrance into the opening of the particular door, and other doors in position therebelow;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view above one of the step members, the view being foreshortened and taken generally on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a similar vertical sectional view one of the reinforcing spacers between the door frames, taken generally on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2`;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section at one side of the door frame, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a front perspective view of one of the tie rod brackets; v

Fig. 6-A is a front perspective view of a similar bracket formed with a step supportportion;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of a doorframe splicing taken on the line 7-*7 of Fig. l; and Fig. 8 is a perspective of the connecting bracket'.

Patented May 13, 1958 lIn the embodiment of the invention which. II Ahave chosen to illustrate and describe thevs-ame, I have shown a silo 10- which may be made of concrete staves the silo being provided with the usual dome roof 12,` the silo chute 14, thev chute dormer 16 thereabove, a silo ladder 18 and the continuous vertical opening 20 within which the vertical door frame members 22 and 24 are mounted to support the silo doors 26 that extend from the bottom to the top of thesilo. Vertically spaced silo tie rods 25 encircle they vsilo from the top to the bottom, these rods being required to reinforce and maintain the silo stave construction.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the silo door'frame consists of a pair of oppositely directed vertically disposed angle members 22 and 24 into which the end-s of the staves 30v and 32 extend, they space between thek end of the staves and the angle iron being normally filled with cement C which is rodded in during the construction of the silo. Av small sheet metal angle iron 34 is employed to close up the back of the space and position the staves the desired distance from the door frame for the purpose of getting uniform bearing between stave and door frame proper. The forward end of each side is closed by the transverse legs 22a and 24a of the vertical door frame members. When the silo staves are all set up and tie rods pulled tight, the usual procedure is toV coat the entire inner surface of the silo with cement or plaster, including the space marked C2.

At regularly spaced positions throughout the height ofthe silo, I provide a tie rod 40 which connects between the door frame members 22 and 24, the tie rods being in the nature of bolts having the threaded end portions 42 provided with nut members 44 which fasten through openings in one leg of the sheet metalangle irons 34 to support them in position. Tubular spacers 46 surround each of the tie rods 40 to effect accurate vertical spacing and alignment of the door frame members.

The doors 26 which are rectangular in shape and com sist of sheet metal or wood, are so constructed that they may be positioned in or against the inside of the door frame, each doo1` having an outwardly extending medially disposed bracket 48 which is positioned over one of the tie rods 40 and spacers 46 to securely hold the door in place against the edges of the door frame members.

As previously pointed out, the silo tie rods 25 which encircle the silo at spaced intervals throughout its height,` are closer together than the height of a door, and consequently` in o-rder to provide sucient door height clearance, I have connected opposite ends ofv alternate silo tie rods 25a to brackets 50 which may be mounted in slots 51 in the door frame members 22 and 24,' they brackets 5i) being formed with a portion 52 having an opening 54 to receive the end of the tie rod, the tie rodk being provided with a threaded portion 56 to receivea fastening nut 58. The bracket is further formed withV a transverse wall portion 60 which extends through the slot 51 and a parallel wall portion 62 that lies againsta Vflange of the sheet metal angle iron 34 and the inside of the door frame members.

In order to provide steps on the floor frame, I formv alternate brackets 50 with an extended portion 66 having a vertical slot 68. The step members 70. may be in the nature of elongated rods having reverse U-turns 72 at the ends of the same so that in anormal position with the step members supported in the slots, the U- shaped ends will be below the bracket 50, thus preventing the step from being removed. l

When it is desired to remove a step member to have ingress to the door frame where a door has been removed, it isa simple matter to swing the step member upwardly and raise one end of the step member out of a slot 68 so that it may be hung in the other, as shown in Fig. 2.

In practice, it is preferable to make the door frame members 22 and 24 in 71/2 or l0 foot lengths, splicing the same together as shown in Fig. 7. In this construction, l provide sections 24a in end to end relation, both having a hemispherical hole 81 to t over a tie rod, the rod also passing through the opening 83 in an angle shaped bracket 85 that is fastened by bolts 87 to the abutting ends of the aligned door frame uprights. By providing a spacer and tie rod at this point, greater rigidity and strength is given to the door uprights.

From the foregoing description it can be seen that I have provided an extremely sturdy and rigid construction for the door frame of a stave silo, the construction including the vertical door frame members that are braced together at equal intervals throughout their height and also at their end connections by the tie rods and spacers mentioned. In addition, while the silo tie-rods 25 effect the rigidity required for any normal silo use, the spacers and the steps provide additional strength, the steps being so constructed that they may be swung out of the way when desired or when required, or locked in position against acci-dental removal during use by the farmer.

I contemplate that changes and modifications may be made in the exact details shown and I do not wish to limit myself in any particular; rather what I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States l. In silo construction, the combination with a stave silo having a row of horizontally aligned silo tie rods encircling the same, a vertical door frame forming a door opening throughout it height, said opening formed by oppositely facing side frame members which are angle members, spacers fastened between said frame members at spaced distances, rectangular door members each having a bracket for mounting on one of said spacers, said door mem-bers adapted to be mounted in vertical alignment against the inside of said door opening to close said door opening, each of said side frame members having an aligned row of slots in its facing leg, sets of brackets mounted in said slots and extending forward from the door opening, and removable steps fastened to certain of said brackets.

2. In silo construction, the combination with a stave silo having a row of horizontally aligned silo tie rods encircling the same, a vertical door frame forming an opening throughout its height, said opening formed by oppositely facing side frame members which are angle members, spacers fastened between said frame members at spaced distances, rectangular door members each having a bracket for mounting on one of said spacers, Said door members adapted to be mounted in vertical alignment against the inside of said door opening to close said door opening, each of said frame members having an aligned row of slots in its facing leg, opposed sets of brackets mounted in said slots and extending forward from the door opening, and removable steps fastened to certain of said brackets, alternate opposed sets of brackets having holes therethrough to receive and fasten to the ends of tie rods encircling said silo.

3. ln silo construction for forming a vcombined door frame and ladder, the combination with a pair of spaced parallel vertical door frame members, each having a row of spaced slots throughout its height, of opposed sets of brackets mounted in opposed slots and'extending forward from said frame members, each of said brackets having a vertical open-ended slot, and a step member positioned in opposed slots of horizontally aligned brackets.

4. in silo construction for forming a combined door frame and ladder, the combination with a pair of spaced parallel vertical door frame members, each having a row of spaced slots throughout its height, of opposed setsof brackets mounted in opposed slots and extending forward from said frame members, each of said sets of brackets having a vertical open-ended slot, and a step member positioned in the slots of horizontally aligned opposed brackets, each of said step members being a rod having a reverse U-bend at its end whereby when hung suspended in a set of opposed brackets it is locked therein, and when desired it may be swung 180 to lift of the brackets, or off one of them to hang suspended from the other.

5. In a silo, the combination with a pair of spaced parallel vertical door frame members, each of said frame members being an angle and each angle having a row of opposed spaced slots throughout its height in facing legs of the same, opposed sets of horizontally aligned brackets mounted in said slots and extending forward from said angles, each of a set of opposed brackets having a vertical open-ended slot, and a step member positioned in the aligned slots of horizontally aligned opposed brackets.

6. In a silo, the combination with a pair of spaced parallel vertical door frame members, each of said frame members being an angle and each angle having a-row of opposed spaced slots throughout its height in facing legs of the same, opposed sets of horizontally aligned brackets mounted in said slots and extending forward from said angles, each of a set of opposed brackets having a vertical open-ended slot, and a step member positioned in the aligned slots of horizontally aligned opposed brackets, each of said step members being a rod having a reverse U-bend at its end whereby when hung suspended in a set of brackets it is locked therein and when desired it may be swung 180 to lift olf the opposed brackets, or on one of them to hang suspended from the other.

7. ln silo construction, the combination with a stave silo having a row of horizontally aligned silo tie rods encircling the same, a vertical door frame throughout its height, said frame comprising parallel vertically disposed spaced oppositely facing angle members into which the vertical edges of the staves extend, oppositely facing spacer angle -members vertically disposed on the back of the facing legs of said door frame angle members, the extended edges of said spacer angle members contacting said staves, a cement filling between the outwardly extending legs of said spacer angle members and lsaid door frame angle members, horizontal spacers fastened between the facing legs of said angle members at xed distances, rectangular door members each having a bracket for mounting over one of said spacers, said door members adapted to be mounted in vertical alignment against the inside edges of the facing legs of said door frame to close said door opening, each spacer comprising a tie rod fastened through the facing legs of said frame members and a tube encircling said tie rod.

8. In silo construction, the combination with a stave silo having a row of horizontally aligned silo tie rods encircling the same, a vertical door frame throughout itsheight, said frame comprising parallel vertically disposed spaced oppositely facingangle members into which the vertical edges of the staves extend, oppositely facing spacer angle members vertically disposed on the back of the facing legs of said door frame angle members, the extended edges of said spacer angle members contacting said staves, a cement filling between the outwardly extending legs of said spacer angle members and said Vdoor frame angle members, horizontal spacers fastened between the facing legs of said angle members at xed distances, rectangular door members each having a bracket for mounting over one of said spacers, said door members adapted to be mounted in vertical align-v ment against the inside edges of the facing legs of said door frame to 'close said door opening, each spacer comprising a tie rod fastened through the facing legs of said frame members and said spacer angles, and a tube encircling said tie rod.

9. In silo construction, the combination with a stave silo having a row of horizontally aligned silo tie rods encircling the same, a vertical door frame throughout its height, said frame comprising parallel vertically disposed spaced oppositely facing angle members into which the vertical edges of the staves extend, oppositely facing spacer angle members vertically disposed on the back of the facing legs of said door frame angle members, the extended edges of said spacer angle members contacting said staves, a cement filling between the outwardly extending legs of said spacer angle members and said door frame angle members, horizontal spacers fastened between the facing legs of said angle members at xed distances, rectangular door members each having a bracket for mounting over one of said spacers, said door members adapted to be mounted in vertical alignment against the inside edges of the facing legs of said door frame to close said door opening, each spacer comprising a tie rod fastened through the facing legs of said frame members and said spacer angles, and a tube encircling each tie rod, each of said spacers being in horizontal alignment with a horizontal silo tie rod.

10. In silo construction, the combination with a stave silo having a row of horizontally aligned silo tie rods encircling the same, a vertical door frame throughout its height, said frame comprising parallel vertically disposed spaced oppositely 'facing angle members into which the vertical edges of the staves extend, oppositely facing 6 spacer angle members vertically disposed on the back of the facing legs of said 'door frame angle members, the extended edges of said spacer angle members contacting said staves, a cement filling between the outwardly extending legs of said spacer angle members and said door frame angle members, horizontal spacers fastened between the facing legs of said angle members at fixed distances, rectangular door members each having a bracket for mounting over one of said spacers, said door members adapted to be mounted in vertical alignment against the inside edges of the facing legs of said door frame to close said door opening, each spacer comprising a tie rod fastened through the facing legs of said frame members and said spacer angles, and a tube encircling the same, each of said spacers being in horizontal alignment with a horizontal silo tie rod, said doors being twice as high as the distance between said silo tie rods, each alternate silo tie rod being fastened to said side angle members.

References Cited in the file of this patent g UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,106,662

Bangert Jan. 26, 1937 

